Golf Courses

Within each geographic region we have made general comments about the course quality, playing conditions and facilities of a number of the popular and prominent courses as a guideline for what you can expect to find.

New Zealand is a golfer’s paradise with over 400 public and private golf courses, including many championship and resort courses that are on par with the world’s best. The New Zealand Information Network has compiled this summary to assist visitors in planning their golfing holiday itinerary.

The extensive Waikato and King Country areas in the Central North Island embrace important farming industries and tourism treasures like the sparsely populated Coromandel Peninsula and the stunning Waitomo Caves. The region is well endowed with adventure tourism sites and sports venues, including 46 golf courses.

The 'Top of the South' has a well above average share of the good things in life - record sunshine hours, golden sand beaches, superb fruit, fine wine, food and seafood and over 300 dedicated craftspeople. The region is paradise for outdoor adventure lovers with its national parks, alpine lakes, stunning coastline as well as 8 excellent golf courses.

A capital city could not be placed in a more dramatic setting than the rugged bush-clad hills and magnificent sheltered harbour of Wellington. The leafy suburbs that sprawl across Wellington's steep hillsides allow precious little space for golf courses, so only four are close to the city centre.

The lower North Island embraces the prosperous farming districts of Wanganui, Rangitikei, Manawatu and Horowhenua. The landscape sweeps dramatically down from mountain ranges into fertile alluvial plains devoted to agricultural and pastoral industries. Most farming districts support a popular classic country golf club

The west coast of the North Island is dominated by the towering volcanic cone of Mt Taranaki (also called Mt Egmont). The fertile plains at the foot of the mountain support intensive dairy farming, serviced by many small, tight-knit communities. Many of these value the recreational benefits derived from a friendly relaxed round of golf [...]

Within each geographic region we have made general comments about the course quality, playing conditions and facilities of a number of the popular and prominent courses as a guideline for what you can expect to find.

Gisborne bathes in the glory of being one of the first places in the world to greet the sun and the first landing place of the famous explorer Captain Cook. Far from exhibiting signs of poverty, the area is blessed with a generous allocation of sunshine hours and fertile plains that produce fruit and wine [...]

The wild West Coast stands apart from the rest of the country as a region where the pioneering spirit and rugged individualism are distinctive characteristics of the people. The narrow 600 km strip of coastal lowland is hemmed in by towering ramparts of the Southern Alps and the tumultuous breaking swells of the Tasman Sea.

Canterbury is the perfect adventure playground with a myriad of exciting outdoor activities between the coast and the Alps. Where else could you see and do so much within two hour's drive of an international airport? Ski and snowboard, swim with dolphins, gaze in awe at sperm whales, soak in luxurious thermal pools

The rich dairy pastures of New Zealand's southernmost region, contrast dramatically with the golden tussock of Central Otago. The rugged, storm-lashed coastline is home to an array of rare marine wildlife and the deep interior of Fiordland has unforgettable scenes of glacier-carved wilderness.

This sun-soaked, peaceful region lies across Cook Strait from Wellington and includes the wonderful Marlborough Sounds aquatic playground. Marlborough's superb climate and great natural beauty combine with rich alluvial river gravels to produce some of the country's best wines and gourmet produce.

This sun drenched bay with its golden sands, sparkling seas, rich marine harvest and prolific kiwi fruit was named by the famous explorer Captain Cook for ‘the many good things to be found here’. Amongst the sport lover’s favourites in this bounteous region are many excellent golf courses.

The centre of the South Island comprises the region of Aorangi (Maori name for Mt Cook) and the Mackenzie area, together with part of South Canterbury. This region of vast golden tussock grasslands, snow-capped mountains and glaciers provides vistas that are truly breathtaking. A number of friendly country communities like Fairlie, Tekapo, Methven and Rakaia [...]

Dunedin city is proud of its Scottish heritage and is a fascinating place to visit. Queenstown 'The Adventure Capital of the World' and Wanaka, an idyllic lakeside ski resort town, have mountainous backdrops that are simply breathtaking.

New Zealand’s largest city has a temperate climate and an expansive land area that lends itself to outdoor sporting activity. Two superb natural harbours and an island-studded Hauraki Gulf make it ideal for sailing and other water sports. Lush green open spaces have been developed into excellent golf courses.

Auckland’s fashionable North Shore abounds with spacious parks, reserves, beaches and golf clubs offering a diverse range of settings and contours. The region is noted for surprising contrasts in the form of its coastlines, with sheltered bays in the east and wild, surf-pounded black sand beaches in the west.

Blue skies, balmy, sub-tropical days and spectacular seascapes make the ‘Winterless North’ of the North Island the perfect holiday location. It is no surprise then, to find that private developers have secured prime cliff top land to create manicured courses that are aesthetically pleasing works of art.